A 23-year-old Beckenham woman has been convicted of animal cruelty for strangling and hitting her one-year-old mixed breed dog, Roxy, on several occasions on 13 October last year.
She was sentenced to 6 months and 14 days imprisonment, conditionally suspended for 12 months, with supervision and programme requirements. She has also been prohibited from being in charge of an animal for five years.
Perth Magistrates Court heard RSPCA WA and WA Police attended the offender's property on the morning of the incidents after a distressed witness contacted both authorities, describing what she had seen and heard. Some of the abuse was captured on a mobile phone.
At 7.40am on the day of the offending, the witness heard thumping sounds, followed by Roxy yelping and screaming. Roxy was seen soon after in the backyard with a short rope tied around her neck, the other end of which was attached to the pole of a carport. Roxy was lying very still and appeared to be "lifeless".
Over the course of the morning, the offender repeatedly struck Roxy, with the dog audibly crying out in pain after each blow. Shortly after, Roxy could be heard struggling to breathe, making choking and gargling sounds.
Witness footage captured the offender standing over Roxy in the backyard, where she remained tethered. Roxy continued to vocalise in distress for an extended period, with further recordings capturing ongoing screaming, choking and laboured breathing.
The court heard the offender used a second rope looped around Roxy's neck to repeatedly strangle her. On multiple occasions, she applied significant force, lifting Roxy completely off the ground and suspending her by the neck. When released, Roxy was left gasping and heaving for air, and at one point twisted and spun mid-air in an apparent attempt to escape. This conduct was repeated several times.
While under caution, the offender told WA Police she wanted to get rid of Roxy because the dog 'was chewing up all my shit' and this annoyed her, adding 'I don't even want the dog'.
Roxy was seized by RSPCA WA inspectors on the morning of the offence. Subsequent veterinary examinations revealed bruising, swelling, bleeding in her right eye, and behaviour consistent with psychological harm.
Roxy recovered in the RSPCA's care and has since been adopted
In sentencing, Magistrate Michelle Harries said she adopted and accepted the RSPCA WA prosecutor's submissions that this was an "example of wicked cruelty… it was brutal, it was sustained [and] it was inexplicable."
She described the offender's actions as "abhorrent behaviour" and said, "the facts are in my view serious" and "they are facts you should be very ashamed of."
RSPCA WA Inspector Manager Kylie Green said the case was a shocking example of deliberate, sustained abuse.
"It's overwhelming to think of the terror and pain Roxy experienced over an extended period of time that morning," she said.
"One-year-old dogs, especially those who aren't given the time and patience needed for effective training, and the love and attention required to stop them from becoming bored, will naturally chew items left lying around. To use that as a justification for torturing an animal – because that's exactly what this offender did – defies all logic and reason."
The offender was convicted under sections 19(1) and 19(2)(a) of the Animal Welfare Act 2002. She was found to have been cruel to Roxy by torturing, maliciously beating, abusing and otherwise ill-treating her.
The maximum penalty for a conviction of animal cruelty is a $50,000 fine and five years in prison.
RSPCA relies on the community to report incidents of suspected cruelty and neglect. Report cruelty on 1300 CRUELTY (1300 278 358) or at rspcawa.org.au.
